The public's take on "the president's proposal"

Determined to push ahead on major reform of the country's health-care system, the White House today stitched together a series of proposals that have broad, but often malleable, public support. Of course, many of these ideas were in the House and Senate packages that have divided Americans since last summer, putting the focus on the politics of a "reset" as much as on the substance of the new 12-page framework.

Here's how the items in the plan stack up in the polls, where data are available. (Some bullet points -- such as the call to curtail "waste, fraud and abuse" -- hardly need polls to assess their popularity.)

"It sets up a new competitive health insurance market giving tens of millions of Americans the exact same insurance choices that members of Congress will have." A new Newsweek poll shows 81 percent support for a "new insurance marketplace -- the Exchange -- that allows people without health insurance to compare plans and buy insurance at competitive rates."

"It will end discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions." In a Washington Post-ABC News poll this month, 80 percent said insurance companies should be required to sell coverage to people regardless of preexisting conditions; 67 percent said so "strongly."

"It puts our budget and economy on a more stable path by reducing the deficit by $100 billion over the next ten years." A January poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 56 percent of those surveyed would be more likely to back a reform package that reduced "the federal deficit by at least $132 billion over 10 years."

It talks about "closing the Medicare prescription drug 'donut hole' coverage gap." In a Kaiser poll in late November, 68 percent of Americans said closing this coverage gap is an "extremely" or "very" important component of reform. The January Kaiser poll showed that 60 percent were "more likely" to support a reform bill if it helped fill the gap.

A plan for a new "individual mandate" is outlined under the heading "Improve Individual Responsibility." In the most recent Post-ABC poll, 56 percent said they back a requirement "for all Americans to have health insurance, either from their employer or from another source, with tax credits or other aid to help low-income people pay for it." On this question, polls have consistently revealed wide swings in opinion depending on the details. For example, a June Post-ABC poll had support for the individual mandate range from 44 percent if sanctions were included for noncompliance to 70 percent if a tax credit accompanied the rule. (The president's proposal features both.)

An "employer mandate" is branded "Strengthen Employer Responsibility." The February Post-ABC poll showed 72 percent support for requiring businesses to offer private health insurance for their full-time employees. A June Post-ABC poll found that 62 percent backed a requirement that businesses provide insurance or "pay money into a government health insurance fund." But the new Newsweek poll finds broad opposition -- 62 percent -- to fines on larger business that don't offer insurance and on individuals who don't get it (the poll asked about these together). In the January Kaiser poll, 45 percent said they were more likely, but 33 percent said they were less likely, to favor a bill that "penalize[d] all but the smallest employers if they don't offer health insurance to their workers."

The new proposals also include new taxes on individuals with incomes above $200,000 and joint-filers who make more than $250,000: "Broaden the Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) Tax Base for High-Income Taxpayers." In the June Post-ABC poll, 60 percent supported raising taxes on these higher-income individuals to pay for health-care reform. And in a January Post-ABC poll, 58 percent preferred a tax targeted at wealthier Americans rather than new levies on high-benefit plans, matching the rebalancing in the president's plan (see: "Delay and Reform the High-Cost Plan Excise Tax"). The new plan does include a tax on "Cadillac" plans, which is opposed by 55 percent in the new Newsweek poll.

"Within months of legislation being enacted, it requires plans to cover adult dependents up to age 26." In the January Kaiser poll, 56 percent of Americans said they would be more apt to back a plan that allowed "children to stay on their parents' insurance plans through age 25."

This could also be called watch unemployment figures go up....Forcing companies to provide coverage will force company's to pay lower wages and hire less worker due to the added expense. Small business is already scared to death of Obama. Employers offer this because they want to attract the bet workers and keep them. Not because the Govt. forces them to.

The Govt might as well force everyone to donate 10% to charity.. not because they want to but because the Govt forces them.

President Obama fails to realize that as long as the federal government is compromising the health of Americans by putting a cell tower- based microwave/laser weapon system in EVERY neighborhood in America -- and using it to silently attack and impair thousands of unjustly "targeted" citizens -- Americans cannot trust their government when it comes to protecting their health and well being.

One of course has to assume that all the items posted in the article are truthful.

I take exception to several points. First and foremost, there is NO WAY that any government funded plan is going to reduce the Federal Deficit. Think about it, the government is going to take over and provide insurance to people who don't have it, and this will "save" money?

This is akin to Obama's campaign promise to cut the Federal Deficit in half by the end of his first term. How's that going?

Enacting legislation that allows for portability accross state lines and allows for pre-existing conditions would reduce costs. So would passing Tort Reform legislation. None of these ideas involves a government option.

Obama has stated since 2002 that he believes in a single payer system. His proposal will ultimately lead to that. Where is your survey question to respond to the favorability of that?

The biggest liabilities on the Federal budget are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The proposed solution to curing the insolvency of government entitlement programs: another government intervention.

Big government: solving government problems with even bigger government.

I agree with most of the comments thus far. I find the employer mandate the most galling proposal of the bunch. Why would anyone want their employer deciding what sort of health plan they should have?

How can American businesses compete with those in other advanced economies where the government in those economies pays the bill for health care rather than the employer?

Why on earth would we ever want to penalize someone for offering employment to someone else?

If anything we should reform our tax structure so that there are fewer costs for employers to hire workers rather than more. It will drive unemployment down and wages up and increase the competitiveness of American businesses in the global market. Revenue can be made up from the larger pool of gainfully employed (and better paid) workers.

President Obama this week called for a televised bipartisan summit to get his health care reform plan back on track, but 61% of U.S. voters say Congress should scrap that plan and start all over again.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds just 28% who think it is better to build on the health care plan that has been working its way through the House and Senate.
Support for and opposition to the existing plan remain at the same levels they’ve been at since just after Thanksgiving.
Only 35% of voters believe Congress should pass health care reform before the upcoming midterm elections anyway. Fifty-four percent (54%) say Congress should wait until voters select new congressional representatives in November.
It’s interesting to note that in a separate survey earlier this week 63% of voters said, generally speaking, it would be better for the country if most incumbents in Congress were defeated this November. Just 27% now believe their current congressman is the best person for the job.
I agree with this poster:
By the looks of this article, all of America is in love with the idea of a Government takeover of healthcare.

I wonder why, then, poll after poll show that a clear majority of Americans just want this Bill to go away forever. Typical WaPo spin and Obama water-carrying.

How can one use past polls to address the questions. Are you not shaping the response by cherry-picking a poll that does not reflect the three critical democratic events that have occurred in VA, NJ and MA. The majority has voted. Listen

The usual zealots will shout the usual epithets. It's time to do this thing -- past time, in fact. President Obama's plan is imperfect but excellent. I hope the Democrats in Congress find their courage and pass it, for two reasons. First, we desperately need it. Second, this is the only way forward for the Democratic Party. The people who hate any of this will always hate it no matter what. The vast majority of American voters will be so pleased that they will support it once they see it.

Employers already tell you what plans you can pick. You can only select what they have available. I would prefer the power of choice! That's real freedom! I looks to me that most of you didn't even bother the read the document!

Hello to all the health care non-reformers..I am a Veteran, where I received excellent FREE government run health care, and, then I worked for you (ie. civil servant)for 25 years. Now, I have a great insurance package via the Federal retirement system. I believe it's the same one to whom all the pro and anti- health reform congressmen and women are entitled . My wife is also a recipient of a very good government run program called Medicare. I really believe President Obama is just trying to make sure every American citizen has the same opportunity. If you truly believe it's a socialist/communist plot I don't believe you should participate either. Just let the rest of us enjoy a better life.

So bottom line is fines and jail time for the people who do not want to purchase the State mandated health insurance, while denying or eliminating healthcare to the people who do need it ... the elderly.

And millions will be added to the pool, while not raising costs??? You'd have to be idiot to believe this stuff.

This is so sad. Obama has spread so much BS out there especially during his campaign that it boggles the mind. I expect politicians to do this, however his BS deserves some kind of prize. Has he kept or even tried to keep even .one promise? He thought with total control of congress and the presidency, he would have a cake walk. "The chickens have come home to roost"

Somebody said, "Do no harm, Mr. President." The present system is already doing harm. Millions are uninsured, costs are skyrocketing, rich health insurance corporations and their CEOs are making billions while the middle class is getting stomped, losing coverage due to "pre-existing illness" and rescission. Meanwhile, deductibles are skyrocketing, and caps on coverage are getting lower and lower with more and more excluded.

It's so sad, maybe in the next 100 years our citizens of this country will rise to a level of enlightenment, where we can have intelligent fact based conversations on issues instead of this dribble. Yes, I do see some shreds of light in this conversation, but, many responders are so delusional it's scary. I hope everyone's in good health, and, will never need health care under the present broken system.

I voted for Mr. Obama in large part for his stand against the individual mandate.
He broke that promise, and so I must ask: Why should we trust any other promises being made? This plan is full of promises, and very little hope.

There's another poll unfolding before our very eyes: the number of 'safe' senators heading out the door.
Why? Because they've run the numbers, and they know this country is on an unsustainable course of crushing deficits.
Why is this important? Because at some point--maybe next week or two years from now--our cascading debt will lead to intervention by our foreign creditors.
Then they will call the shots, and among the first to go will be this deficit-producing plan.
Then what?

And what do the results say about cutting Medicare benefits by $500 billion? 10% or 15% for?. The public wants to add to Bush's great socialist reform by filling the hole of the socialist doughnut, not cut Bush's reform by 40-50% as Obama does. The Democrats would be politically suicidal to accept this and the Republicans foolish to let them get off the hook. Ultimately there will have to be a deal on some version of Canada-Europe to be paid for by a combination of VAT and high business-capital gains tax to pay for removing the health burden on them.

How can you have a rational conversation with the paranoidal idiots in the Republican Party? Some guy is talking about Obama putting some towers in our neighborhoods? Seriously? Our healthcare "system" is one giant house of cards teetering on the verge of collapsing in one unsustainable mess and the Republicans are standing watching the dam saying everything is fine.

A lot of folks are afraid of the deficit growing out of control...Sorry, but due to the last administration that's why we are in deep do-do. Tell you what, if we cut the Pentagon, CIA, and NSA budgets in half, we will be sitting pretty. Are all you anti Obama/health care folks ready to do that?

I can't believe that President Obama is going back and resurrecting a dead health care bill when we have so many problems in this country. We don't have time in this country for individual party's to push their petty agenda's at a time when our country is on the verge of bankrupcy. The country does not support these kind of changes! He does not have the votes for these kind of changes without trickery! Messing with our health care without an American mandate is a prescription for national disaster!

Let's see, approx. 53% of illegal aliens are receiving public aid. If this health care legislation is forced through, will it be up to 100%? Now that's entitlement. At least the people receiving Social Security paid into it.

Rightwing dimwits. Put aside your infantile fantasies of a socialist dictatorship for a moment and try to grasp this one simple fact: If we don't do anything to fix our lousy healthcare system now, we will surely go broke. In case this doesn't register, it means no more unfunded tax cuts for millionaires and no more invasions of third world countries on trumped up allegations. Makes you wanna cry, doesn't it?

The people who object to enacting real comprehensive healthcare reform simply have no idea how much people are hurting in this country from the inability to pay for medical attention. The only way we are going to improve the situation is for federal involvement, because the states are too slow. Only a couple of states have seen the light. And the federal deficit will grow faster without it. We have to do something now. Healthcare reform is integral to improving the economy in the long term. A mandate for coverage is essential. Otherwise the whole point of insurance will be lost. You need a pool of healthy as well as the sick to make it work. The healthy folks think they can get away without it. Their attempt to do without it will end up costing the country more. And Americans need to be nudged strongly to start taking care of themselves with healthier diets, exercise, and health screenings to find problems before they get worse. People won't stop overfeeding themselves and lying around in front of the TV unless we give them incentives. We need to do all the things recommended by the President as soon as possible.

Where are these polls? Some of those listed do not have dates, when were they done? What were the actual questions? There have been to many polls on health care that are biased.

I am pretty sure 56% of the adults would not be so enthusiastic about being able to keep an adult child up to age 26 on their insurance if they knew they would have to pay both the employer and employee portion. After checking into this, because my state already has it, I found that it was cheaper to get individual insurance because in most cases adult children are health. The difference was $400. The individual insurance cost $60 per month.

:::The people who object to enacting real comprehensive healthcare reform simply have no idea how much people are hurting in this country from the inability to pay for medical attention.
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People that object to these insurance reform options understand fully the problems of not having insurance. Contrary to what some progressives say, health insurance does fulfill a need, and is a product that many of us pay for to take care of the health of ourselves and those we love. That is very important to us.

The need for health care cost reduction and some insurance reform is there, but not at the price of having all of the rest of us suffer along with those without insurance. The government has no place in our health care decisions or options or health insurance decisions or options.
Further, for all the waste they talk about in the government programs, everyone should be able to to be insured or on government programs without further increasing the costs for health care or health insurance for others.
Obama should not have been so greedy, he would have gotten much further and gotten the most important things done and done much quicker.
Then he could have put some effort into getting this economy working again, with businesses hiring, and people feeling more secure financially.

i am puzzled as to why most of these comments are more negative ,or should i say,against changing the present system.do you people like being screwed by insurance companies?this is where true dictatorship rests.dont believe me,try going to a doctor whos not on your plan,or going to a specialist without a referal,and see what happens.most of you are probably thinking that this plan will only help the poor,which in most of your minds are pictures of blacks and hispanics,and maybe appalacian whites.this is both narrowminded and bigoted.this is for all,and it takes some of the power to screw over people from the insurance and drug companies.most of you wjho are against,probably never had a medical emergency,or never had a loved one denied help because of some pre-existing bullcrap loophole.this is the real world people,so wake up and get real,because change is enevitable.

Competitive health insurance market? Where did the writer get this false information? Obama's plan prohibits buying across state lines.

"It puts our budget and economy on a more stable path by reducing the deficit by $100 billion over the next ten years." This is a bald-faced LIE. The so-called health insurance plan will begin as a 1 TRILLION dollar deficit, turns into debt, which requires interest payments.

When Senator Obama was running for president, he gleefully laughed and admitted that he was in favor of the redistribution of wealth...the definition of socialism.

I didn't see any numbers on those who are alright with taxpayer money going to abortion. I believe the number is 73% against it. Obama keeps saying that federal funds won't go towards it but they will unless they include the Stupack amendment. Obama keeps talking about "women's health." Can anyone tell me how elective abortions are "health care?" In fact, from what I undertand they have a negative effect on a woman's health and there are links to breast cancer from abortions.

DEAN SAID THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WILL NOT ALLOW ANY LAW SUITE PROTECTION.WILL NOT CROSS THE TRAIL LAWYERS.DEMS ALSO WILL NOT ALLOW INSURANCE TO BE SOLD ACROSS STATE LINE.THEY USED THE CALIFORNIA RATE INCREASE AS PROFF THAT INSURANCE COMPANY WAS GOUGING.FUNNY THE DEMOCRATIC STAE PANEL APPROVED THE INCREASE.NOW THE CRAZY PREZ WANT TO GIVE EVERY STATE THE NEBRASKA PURCHASE.DO AWAY WITH CADILLAC UNION AND NON UNION TAX PLANS.NOW WE CAN INCREASE THE COST TO 2 TRILLION A YEAR FOR HEALTHCARE ALONE.OBAMA IS USING THE CALIFORNIA STATE MODEL OF GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON HOW TO BANKRUPT A NATION.ONE GOOD THING.WE CAN START SHOWING OBAMA AND THE LEFT WOING LOONIES HOW WE FEEL.DO NOT EVEN LET THEM WIN THEIR OWN PARTIES PRIMARIES.THEN VOTE ALL THE INCUMB ENTS OUT IN NOV.

It appears that most Americans agree on the need for health care reform. But what we can't agree on is a 1990 page House Bill that has been done peace-meal behind closed doors. Democrats have made it clear that they want to ram it through, effectively covering up what they have done. They will be ousted in November, but it will be too late.

Thursday's open meeting is nothing more than a charade. Were this a legitimate effort to gain bi-partisan support, the Democrats would not have telegraphed the "ram" message in advance. It is just an extension of the same ol', same ol'. That message not only turns off the Republicans, it is turning off the people.

Mr. President, we have more time than money. Stop this "we", as in Democrats, and "they" , as in Republicans. Start thinking "We, the people", as in Americans. We, the people need your help.
Get health care legislation into the open. Keep it simple. Keep it short so that it is understood and not riddled with loop holes and waste.

It may surprise you that the Republicans are willing to work across party lines if that line in the sand is brushed over. You may even regain the trust of those that elected you. You are the President, and the ball is in your court. Just remember that the whole of Congress is supposed to be on your team, not the opposing team. We, the people will be in the stands to cheer you on.

Who are those "joint-filers who make more than $250,000"? They are self-employed, toiling 60-70 hours a week. They pay rising college tuitions for their children who do not qualify for any financial aids. They face increasingly heavier federal and local taxes and mandates on their business. What little savings they eke out after expenses, they lose them to the genius financial engineers on WS.

Now the gov wants more taxes and more mandates? What is my incentive to work hard and pursue the "American dream"? Pie in the sky?

I guess the Administration has not seen the consumer confidence numbers nose dive, indicating that economic recovery, not health care, is the most pressing issue for Americans.

However, I also understand that what matters most is the political agenda of the Democratic party, not the national good, so I do expect that Obama-care will be jammed through and increase taxes and explode the deficit...great politics - lousy governing.

The main problem is you are going to pay for it one way or another. If the government is paying for it, the government debt is going to increase. Therefore, buy gold and silver because the only thing your dollar will be good for is wiping your rear. You also need to stock up on non perishable foods while they are cheap. The economic end is coming! You better stock up on ammo. Debt per family is about 100k. At about a 2 trillion dollar increase per year in the national debt, the debt per family will double in 6 years. Have fun paying off that mortgage. You all want something for free. Me! Me! Me! Well, enjoy it while you have it. You are not going to have it much longer. Give up the government credit card. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!

As we can see, DICTATOR Obama is ready to force us to swallow the Marxist Obamacare scam no matter how much the American people reject it.

Imitating Hugo Chavez and the rest of the Marxist thugs who are destroying Latin America, Obama wants to take over everything, including our health care system.

Imitating the Marxist thugs, Obama is also taking over the Legislative branch of power and becoming a dictator. The Legislative branch and not Obama has the power to make laws. But he's usurping the powers of the Legislative branch and becoming a DICTATOR.

Your "bullet points" are statements, not facts and should be presented as such. The so called bills are full of mandates, fines (taxes) and loop holes for Democrat supporters like unions. They are as believable as the presidents promise to televise hearings of the healthcare process. Polls show 70 - 80% of Americans are satisfied with their health care. Take care of them and leave the rest of us alone.

It's an old trick. Make promises you know everyone will agree with and then do the opposite.

billydee123, informed Americans know that the profit margin of health insurance companies is less than 4%. Obama and his comrades have been planning to vilify and demonize health insurance industry for years, since they planned the Obamacare scam, which has NOTHING to do with improving health care or helping the poor. It's only a SCAM to enslave us.

Robert Creamer, a CONVICTED FELON and Obama’s ACORN associate, outlined the guidelines for the Obamacare SCAM in his 2007 book, “Stand Up Straight: How Progressives Can Win.”

As per Creamer’s book, the main objective of Obamacare is only to increase the power of "progressives" (Marxists) through the “democratization of wealth” (socialism/Marxim) as per the teachings of Saul Alinsky. Creamer wrote in his 2007 book:

* “Our messaging program over the next two years should focus heavily on reducing the credibility of the health insurance industry....”
* “We need not agree in advance on the components of a plan, but we must foster a process that can ultimately yield consensus.”

As per those guidelines, Obama and his comrades planned to demonize the insurance industry and to agree to ANYTHING to get their scam approved. They don't care about the "components of the plan." All they want is CONTROL over our health care and our lives.

Why do we have to wait to see what WILL happen if we do nothing? Take a look at what you and/or your employer are paying for insurance in 2010 vs 2009. Mine is up 18%, and is now more than what the government spends per medicare recipient, and they are the oldest and sickest among us. Please tell me why the government spending half as much as I'm now spending, putting thousands into my pocket, is a bad thing.

So push the EASY button. Single-payer health care. When the biggest objection by some is the cost, maybe they should look at the total costs, in 2009 we spent 2.5 TRILLION alone for our present health care, by 2018 we'll spend 4.3 TRILLION in that year alone. The cost of single-payer health care will cost less than half what we are doing now and what appears to be in the future.